(Born: Breitenbach, Hesse, Germany, 21 February 1738; Died: St. Petersburg, Russia, 1812 or 1816) German mining expert.

Cancrin was descended from a mining family and attended the University of Jena from 1759 to 1762. He became clerk in the Hanau assessor office, 1764, to which he was appointed assessor in the revenue office, 1767. Later, he became professor of mathematics at the Hanau Military Academy. In 1783, Cancrin entered the service of the Russian Empress Catherine II, including management of the Staraya Russa saltworks.

Biographical references: ADB: 3, 740. • DBA: I 176, 371-397; II 214, 35-39. • DSB: 3, 41-2 [by M. Koch]. • Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th edition. • Hamberger & Meusel, Gelehrte Teutschland, 1796-1834. • Lambrecht & Quenstedt, Catalogus, 1938: 72. • NDB. • Poggendorff: 1, col. 370. • WBI.

Kurzer Entwurf der Mineralogie, 1773

1. German, 1773.
Franz Ludwig Cancrinus | [...3 lines of titles and memberships...] | erste Gründe | der | Berg | und | Salzwerkskunde | [vignette] | Erster Teil | welcher die Mineralogie enthält. | [rule] | Frankfurt am Main | in der Andreäischen Buchhandlung 1773.

8°: π⁴ )(⁶ A-T⁸ U²; 157l.; [20], [1]-272, [22] p., woodcut device on half-title, engraved vignette on title. Page size: 162 x 89 mm.

Contents: [2 pgs], Title page, verso blank.; [8 pgs], Dedication to the Kaiser and Mrs Catherina.; [10 pgs], "Vorrede."; [1]-48, Text.; [49], Sectional title page, "Erste Gründe | Der | Mineralogie."; [50], Blank.; [51]-272, Text.; [22 pgs], "Register."

Rare. This is a general introduction to mineralogical science that formed the first part of Cancrin's monumental Erste Gründe der Berg und Salzwerkskunde [see note below]. This volume also contains a general forward to the complete work.

English transl., c1980: First principles of the science of mining and salt mining. Part one, containing the Mineralogy. By Franz Ludwig Cancrinus. Translated from the original text, with a preface and notes, by Kenneth V. Bordeau and Elvi Legel Bordeau. Boulder, Colo., Geological Society of America, c1980. 2 microfische. [Published as: The Geological Society of America, Inc., Microform Publication, no. 10.]

Related work: The Erste Gründe der Berg und Salzwerkskunde is considered the most complete work on mining and the refining of minerals, metals and salt written in the 18th century. It was published in Frankfurt am Main from 1773 to 1791 in 12 Teilen [DSB incorrectly says 21]. This rare series is a difficult bibliographical problem. Although incomplete, the list below provides some help with paginations of the various sections.

Bibliographical references: BL [no copy listed]. • Freilich Sale Catalog: no. 117. • Internet search. • Jonathan Hill, Bookseller: cat. 16 (1994), nos. 26. • Poggendorff: 1, col. 370.

2. German, 1789.
Abhandlungen vom Torfe, Dessen Ursprung, Nachwuchs, Aufbereit, Gebrauch etc. Marburg, 1789.

8°: Very scarce.

Bibliographical references: LKG: XVI 445.

3. German, 1801 [Another edition].
Abhandlungen vom Torfe. Marburg, 1801.

8°: Very scarce.

Bibliographical references: LKG: XVI 445.

4. German, 1787.
Franz Ludwig von Cancrin Geschichte und systematische Beschreibung der in der Grafschaft Hanau Münzenberg in dem Amte Bieber und anderen Aemtern dieser Grafschaft, auch den dieser Grafschaft benachbarten Ländern gelegenen Bergwerke. Leipzig, Christian Gottlieb Hertel, 1787.

8°: 10, 190 p., one plate. Very scarce.

Bibliographical references: BL [972.f.13.]. • LKG: XIV 279.

5. German, 1767.
Franz Ludwig Cancrinus fürstlich hessenhanauischen Rentcammersecretärs Beschreibung der vorzüglichsten Bergwerke in Hessen, in dem Waldekkischen, an dem Haarz, in dem Mansfeldischen, in Chursachsen, und in dem Saalfeldischen. Frankfurth an dem Main, In der Andreäischen Buchhandlung, 1767.

4°: π⁴ **⁴ A-Iii⁴ Hhh³ ; ??l.; [16], 429, [3] p., 11 plates (partly folding), title vignette. Head and tail pieces. Topographical - Germany - Mines and mineral resources. Rare.

Bibliographical references: BL [457.a.10.]. • Hoover Collection: no. 203. • LKG: XIV 49. • NUC: 93, 591-3.

.

Teil 1, 1773: [20], 272, [22] p. [Mineralogie].

Teil 2, 1773: [8], 296, [14] p. [Probierkunst].

Teil 3, 1773: [8], 72, [7] p., 3 folding plates. [Oberirdis-

{ }che Erdbeschreibung].

Teil 4, 1773: [8], 72, [7] p., 8 folding plates. [Unterirdis-

{ }che Erdbeschreibung].

Teil 5, 1774: [12], 244, [16] p., 57 folding plates. [Kurzer

{ }Entwurf der Grubenbaukunst].

Teil 6, 1775-6: 2 parts. [8], 808, [60] p.; [8], 304, xxxi,

{ }[24] p., 65 folding plates, one folding table.

{ }[Arithmetik, Geometrie und Trigonometrie].

Teil 7, 17 \ : 3 parts.

Teil 8, 1782: [10], 158, [8] p., 21 folding plates. [Scheide

{\ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ }oder Aufbereitungskunst der Mineralien.]

Teil 9, 1784-8: 4 parts. [12], 432, [18] p.; [2], 21 p.

{\ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ }(=Anhang).; [10], 168, [5] p.; [12], 216, [14] p.,

{\ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ }222 folding plates. [Gründliche Anleitung zur

{\ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ }Schmelzkunst und Metallurgie].

Teil 10, 1788-9: 3 parts. [16], 270, [26] p.; [10], 284,

{\ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ }[18] p.; [10], 210, [20] p., 52 folding plates,

{\ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ }3 folding tables. [Entwurf der Salzwerkskunde].

Teil 11, 1790: 5 parts, [2], x, 210 p.; [2], viii, 162 p.;

{\ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ }x, 146 p.; x, 110 p; x, 67, [35] p. [Berg- und

{\ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ }Salzrecht: covering mining laws of Germany].

Teil 12, 1791: 80 p., one folding table. [Abhandlung von

{\ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ }der Anlage, dem vortheilhaftesten Bau und der

{\ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ }Unterhaltung der Röhrbrunnen].